The management of the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto has sent condolences to the family of the patient who was killed by another patient at the hospital. The Times reports that on Saturday‚ a patient was admitted in the same ward with Piet Ntsanwisi and he attacked him and another patient with a drip stand. Ntsanwisi died from the attack.
“The Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital management is saddened by the passing of Mr Ntsanwisi and wishes to extend its deepest condolences to his family‚” said the hospital management.
“The hospital has since reported this unfortunate incident to the South African Police Services. This has never happened before in our facility. We are shocked by the incident and I would like to take this opportunity to also rectify false reports that the alleged perpetrator is a psychiatric patient.
“In fact, the patient had no record of psychiatry disorder nowhere are there any signs of hostile behaviour shown by the patient prior to the incident‚” said the acting hospital CEO Dr Sifiso Maseko.
Maseko said in the report that both staff members and patients received counselling and the hospital management also visited the Ntsanwisi family to offer condolences.
Jack Bloom, Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Shadow Health MEC writes in a report on the Politicsweb site: “I am horrified by the report today that a man was attacked and killed at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital allegedly by a psychiatric patient.
“According to the report, Mr Piet Ntsanwisi (59) died from head injuries on Saturday morning after he was assaulted with a steel drip-stand. Ntsanwisi’s family say that the hospital was negligent as a mentally ill patient went on a rampage, smashing windows and breaking things as staff failed to restrain him.
“This terrible incident needs to be investigated and urgent measures taken to tighten the security for mental patients.
“Patients and staff have also been attacked by psychiatric patients in other Gauteng hospitals, which highlights the continuing inadequacies of treatment facilities for mental patients even after the Esidimeni tragedy.
“I will communicate with the Health Ombudsman to investigate the continuing poor treatment of mental health patients in Gauteng.”
[link url="https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-05-15-hospital-sends-condolences-to-family-of-murdered-patient/"]The Times report[/link]
[link url="http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/man-dies-at-bara-hospital-after-attack-by-psychiat"]Report on the Politicsweb site[/link]